This paper presents Haiti’s Sixth Review under the Extended Credit Facility and request for Waiver of Performance Criterion, and Augmentation of Access. Manufacturing activity would be hit the most, as the largest enterprises, including the important export textile sector, have been...

Natural disaster risk is emerging as an increasingly important constraint on economic development and poverty reduction. This paper first sets out the key stylized facts in the area-that the costs of disaster have been increasing, seem set to continue to increase, and bear especially heavily on...

This paper reviews the Maldives’s Use of IMF Resources and Request for Emergency Assistance. The authorities have requested a purchase of an amount equivalent to SDR 4.1 million (50 percent of quota) under the IMF’s policy on emergency assistance related to natural disasters. The...

Natural disasters are an important source of vulnerability in the Caribbean region. Despite being one of the more disaster-prone areas of the world, it has one of the lowest levels of insurance coverage. This paper examines the vulnerability of Belize's public finance to the occurrence of...

Each year natural disasters affect about 200 million people and cause about $50 billion in damage. This paper compares the incidence of natural disasters across countries along several dimensions and finds that the relative costs tend to be far higher in developing countries than in advanced...

The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate. This paper develops an analytical...

This paper reviews the literature on the macroeconomic impact of natural disasters and presents the IMF’s role in assisting countries coping with natural catastrophes. Focusing on seven country cases, the paper describes the emergency financing, policy support, and technical assistance...

The January 2010 earthquake represented a major setback for Haiti, after several years of improved economic performance. Executive Directors commended the authorities for quickly restoring basic government functions and maintaining sound policies during the crisis. Directors welcomed the...